A Test of Courage
by EternalxEmbers
Summary: After being disqualified from the preliminaries, the Iwatobi Swim Club is training hard for next year alongside Samezuka's team. But when Makoto starts bringing along a new face to their training sessions, how does Haru take it? How will Haru react to finding out that this new person is the complete opposite to him? And I don't mean personality wise.
1. Prologue - Slipping Away

Bright rays of sun painted my skin in a golden glow as I bathed in it's warmth, the auburn streaks in my otherwise mousy brown hair highlighted as I lay in the reclined outdoor chair.

There wasn't a cloud around, allowing the sun full access to the sky today. It was surely a rare sight, especially being so far out to sea.

"Hey, Hana!" I fluttered my eyes open to the sound of a young voice yelling my nickname. I squinted against the rays of light and rolled onto my side, propping myself up on one elbow to get a better look at my little brother.

He wore a big smile that just screamed he was up-to-no-good again. His chestnut hair was unruly and sticking out every way imaginable, dirt, sand and a slimy green goop I couldn't -and didn't want to- place a name on dusting his cheeks, forehead and nose.

The four year old tyke stared at me with saucer-wide eyes, his hazel orbs practically sparkling with self-satisfaction. I couldn't hold in the small giggle as he grabbed my hand and tugged eagerly on it, wanting me to follow.

I reluctantly stood to my feet and allowed my little brother to tow me along, hand-in-hand. We're three years apart in age, but we're as close as twins. Not only do we share similar features, but we also have the same tastes in food, the same interests (minus the fact that I like dresses), and sometimes we even finish each others sentences.

He's practically my own little doppelganger! I knew from the moment he was born into this world that we'd have a strong connection; and I was right. My little brother and I are inseparable!

"What is it, Saki?" I asked as I crouched down beside him. He reached for a nearby bucket and pulled it towards us with his free hand, keeping a firm grip on my own with his other one.

"Look, look! I catcheded a crab! A crab!" He exclaimed excitedly, his chubby cheeks turning a slight shade of pink at his enthusiasm.

I laughed merrily and gently patted his head in praise. "Good job, Saki! But are you sure it wasn't dad that caught it for you?"

"No! I catcheded it myself! All on my own!" He boasted proudly, holding his head high. I giggled at the sight and gave him a quick one-armed hug.

"Well done then, little brother."

"Look, I'll show you!" I barely had a chance to find my feet before Saki was pulling me off to the other side of the yacht.

"Hey, slow down! We'll trip!" I yelped as my feet slid across a puddle on the deck.

I gripped the edge of the white railing that trailed around the entirety of the yacht and looked down into the shimmering blue ocean as Saki pointed at the crab nets.

"I finded it in there!" He announced, jabbing his little finger excitedly at the nets tied to the side of the boat.

I was about to congratulate him once again, but then the water caught my attention. It was changing. The ocean, which once resembled the colour of priceless sapphire jewels sparkling beautifully under the light of the sun, had shifted into a murky grey, the playful reflections of light disappearing and dark shadows beneath the surface taking their place.

The warm blanket enveloping my skin disappeared as an icy chill crawled down the length of my spine.

"What's wrong, Hana?" Saki questioned. He must've picked up on my sudden change in mood because he suddenly sounded as scared and confused as I felt.

I glanced up at the sky, gasping in shock at seeing the sun hidden behind one of the largest storm clouds I'd ever seen. The smoky mass of darkness stretched across the entire sky, leaving no room for the giant star or the cobalt blue sky to peek through.

"Hana...? Hana? Hanako!"

I shook myself out of my trance and looked down to my little brother. His eyes were glassy from unshed tears and his bottom lip was quivering. I could feel the palm of his hand growing sweaty the more he became scared.

I tightened my hand around his and nudged him along as I ran back to the front of the yacht. Saki stumbled behind me as he tried to keep up.

"S-slow down, Hana!"

I ignored his protests and kept running. "Dad! Daddy!" I called, my vocals shaking from the fear I felt.

"Hana, Saki, where are you?!" I heard my father yell. I felt my heartbeat slow a little at the reassuring voice of my dad calling for us.

"We're here! We're coming!" I yelled back, hoping he'd hear. Just then thunder rolled through the sky and lightning was soon to follow it.

I ducked my head and shielded my face with my free hand as rain suddenly began to pour heavily. I gripped Saki's fingers with my own as we skidded across the slippery surface to our father.

"Hana, I can't run that fast! Stop! Hanako!" Saki shouted over the noise of the weather above us. I continued to ignore him as I tried to get us to safety. Why was this happening? Didn't dad say that the weather forecast was clear this weekend? Why is our family trip turning out this way? This isn't how it's supposed to be!

Another round of lightning cracked across the sky, but just as the thunder started to die down a single, large bolt of blinding light tore through the thick blanket of clouds, striking the ocean right beside our yacht. The boat shook from the impact of the bolt meeting the water. I yelped as I lost my footing and flew across to the other side, dragging my little brother with me.

The deafening roar of the thunder and Saki's petrified screams made it hard to hear my father calling out to us as we plummeted towards the menacing liquid.

Suddenly the yacht straightened up again and I barely missed going over the edge, my hip clipping the side of the boat. I cried out at the sharp pain travelling through the entire left side of me.

"Hana! Help!" Saki wailed, large, fat tear drops rolling from his eyes and staining his rosy cheeks.

I turned my head to see Saki dangling precariously over the edge, his brown leather boots and striped socks drenched from the water lashing up at him, reaching as high as it can to try and drag him in.

The feeling of Saki's entire weight pulling on my left arm was almost unbearable, and I knew that I couldn't hold onto him for much longer.

"Dad, help!" I called, hoping he'd hear. Saki sobbed uncontrollably as violent shivers wracked through his tiny frame. His hand was shaking so much it made it that much harder to keep a grip on him.

"Daddy please! Help! _Please!_ DADDY!" I screamed, my throat aching and my voice cracking by the end of it. "Help, please! Someone!" My desperate cries for help had turned into hiccuping sobs. No one was coming. No one was going to help. I was going to loose my little brother.

"Hana, I-... I can't hold on! I'm slipping!"

"No! Just hang in there! I've got you!" I cried, gazing at Saki through my blurred vision as tears of my own began to fall. "I won't let you go, I promise! Hold on! You have to! You have to..."

Saki closed his eyes and hiccuped his next words out, "I-I can't, I'm slipping! Save me Hana, please... I don't want to go! I don't want to leave you! I want to see mummy, and daddy! Please Hanako!"

A hiccuping sob of my own escaped through my quivering lips as I desperately tried to pull my little brother to safety, but the pain from bashing my hip earlier made it hard to lift him up.

"H-hold on...! Don't let go! I've got you. J-just stay calm, I'll save you, I promise. I promise...!" I gritted my teeth and tried to pull Saki up once again, but it only served to make my grip on his hand loosen.

"Dad, help me!" I screamed, squeezing my eyes shut tight as the fear of losing my only sibling took over all rational thoughts. But no matter how much I yelled, or shouted, or screamed; no one could hear me because of all the thunder overhead.

"Hana, I...!" I opened my eyes to see Saki's hand slipping out of my own. His fingers gradually slid through mine, holding on for all their worth until, finally, he had no more strength left.

"No... no! Saki! Nooo!" I wailed, stretching my arm as far as I could to try and catch him. I watched with wide eyes full of shock and disbelief as Saki's body met with the ocean. His eyes were just as wide as mine as his mouth gaped open in a silent scream of terror.

I could do nothing but watch as the cruel, sadistic waves lapped around his tiny form, engulfing him bit by bit until only his hand stuck out of the water, his little fingers stretching for something he couldn't reach.

And then even that was gone, too. Saki had been completely dragged under by the force of the water, leaving nothing but the raging surface behind, it's sinister licks and splashes against the side of the yacht mocking the loss of my only brother.

An over-whelming feeling of loss, loneliness and grief fell over me as my mind finally caught up to what I'd just seen. My brother... he's gone. My little brother... was ripped away from me. I'll never get to see his smile, or hear his laugh, or even hear him cry... ever again.

A gut-wrenching scream rang through the sullen atmosphere, chasing away the noise of the storm. Hysterical sobs followed shortly after, the only sound to be heard other than the distant rumbling of the passing storm.

"Hana? Hanko! What happened? Are you alright? Where's Saki?" Father questioned, pulling me tightly to his chest while stroking my tangled hair flat.

I latched onto his crumpled dress shirt and cried my eyes out against the already soaked fabric. I stretched one hand out towards the water, reaching out for the little brother that I'd lost, even though I knew it wouldn't bring him back.

"S-Saki...come...back... Saki. Saki! Come back! Don't leave me! Saki, please! S-Saki...!" I tried to lean over the edge and reach into the water, but my dad quickly stopped me and pulled me back to him, holding me against his chest as I lashed out in a fit of rage and anguish.

As I begged and pleaded my brother to come back to me, my dad finally caught on to what happened and squeezed me tightly, resting his head on my shoulder.

I quietened after hearing someone else crying, and realized it was my dad. He's crying too... he's sad as well. If daddy's crying then that means... Saki is never coming back.

I sniffled and hid my face in my father's shirt, my own anguished howling echoing off the walls of the yacht as we held onto each other and mourned the loss of our most cherished family member.


	2. One - Opposites Don't Attract

I awoke with a strangled scream, lurching forward in my bed and gripping the sheets in my shaking fists. My head swivelled in all directions, taking in my surroundings.

After feeling my pulse return to normal I finally realised that I was in my bed at home, not out at sea. I exhaled the shaky breath I'd been holding and flopped back into the pillows, groaning as I rolled onto my side and burrowed under the blankets.

I woke up again a few hours later after another restless sleep and stumbled out of my door and into the bathroom. I tried to avoid looking at myself in the mirror as I brushed my teeth, but in the end I gave in and turned around, like I always did.

The sight wasn't anything new to me, but for some reason the pile of ratty hair sitting on top of my scalp always caught me off-guard. I grimaced at my reflection and continued brushing before spitting the bubbly mint into the basin and washing the toothbrush.

I trudged back to my room and lazily kicked the door closed before wondering over to the dresser. After pulling several items of clothing out I finally decided on a simple white spaghetti strapped undershirt, faded red loose tank top and washed out denim shorts.

As I dragged the brush through my messy locks I made my way into the kitchen, mumbling a quick 'good morning' to the photo frame of my parents sitting in the middle of the table.

I popped two pieces of bread into the toaster before opening the freezer and pulling out a wrapped piece of fish. Tossing the seafood into a pan, I turned back to the toaster as it popped and pulled out a plate from the cupboard above me.

I dropped the toast on the plate and lightly buttered it before throwing the cooked fish on top. Admiring my cooking skills, I scooped up the plate and dropped into a sitting position next to the table.

My eyes scanned the news of today's local paper as I stuffed my face with the simple breakfast. Once I was finished I pushed the newspaper aside and stood to drop the plate off at the sink before exiting the back of the house.

Seeing my worn but incredibly comfy reclining chair sitting in the sun, beckoning me to join it, I couldn't help but to race over to it and sink into the plushiness.

I sighed heavily with content as I basked in the early morning rays, the dull tingles travelling across my skin lulling me back into sleep.

* * *

Haru let out a large yawn before rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes. He stared at the digital numbers of his alarm clock and sighed heavily before reluctantly rolling out of bed to start his morning routine. After he was done in the bathroom he trudged into the kitchen and made himself his usual mackerel on toast.

He stared out the window while sitting at the table, absent-mindedly chewing his food as he gazed longingly at the distant ocean. He grabbed the empty plate and sat it next to the sink before quickly making a bee-line for the bathroom once more.

It had taken all of his self-control to keep himself away from the tub long enough to eat something, but now that he was finished there was nothing holding him back any more. He stripped out of his pyjamas and tossed them aside carelessly before sinking into the depths of the water, a satisfied sigh escaping his lungs before completely submerging himself in the liquids embrace.

Haru wasn't sure just how long he'd been soaking in his tub, but he knew that it'd been longer than it felt when he heard the muffled sound of his doorbell ringing from under the water. But he decided to ignore it, like always, and closed his eyes.

Besides, he knew the person would end up coming inside anyway. "I'm coming in!" They called after pushing the unlocked door open.

Haru listened carefully to the footsteps echoing around his house, and it took all he had to hold in his disappointed sigh as the bathroom door opened with a bang.

"How did I know you'd be here?" Makoto mused to himself, stepping over the strewn clothing before standing at the side of the bath. Makoto knelt down and stuck his hand in the water, waving it in front of his friends face.

Haru cracked his eyes open and grimaced at the intruding hand in his bathtub. Knowing he wasn't getting out of going to school today, Haru pushed himself up into a sitting position, his head surfacing above the water again.

Shaking the collected drops from his hair, he turned slightly to glance up at his oldest friend. Haru met the taller boy's eager grin with a frown of his own before accepting the extended hand.

"Ready to go, Haru-chan?" Makoto asked as he pulled Haru out of the bath and onto his feet. As usual, Haru was wearing his swimsuit.

"Stop calling me that." Makoto heard him grumble under his breath, only earning a chuckle from the taller boy.

Haru pulled a towel off the rack and began wiping himself off as he shuffled to his bedroom. Makoto waited next to the table for the boy to get dressed. He glanced at the fish watching him from it's bowl and couldn't help but smile.

Makoto leaned down to get a better look at the little goldfish, but it quickly swam to the furthest side of the bowl to get away.

Haru came in a few minutes later, his hair partly dry and the shoulder and upper back part of his shirt growing damp. Makoto shook his head at the sight but thought against saying anything. He knew it wouldn't do anything but cause an argument, so he decided to stay quiet and instead followed the silent boy to the front door.

Haru locked the house once they were out and followed Makoto down the steps, not really paying attention to the other boys conversation as his eyes locked onto the cobalt blue ocean, all thoughts directed towards how good it would feel to swim right now.

Makoto paused mid-sentence and glanced at his friend, seeing the clear longing shine behind those deep blue eyes of his. He smiled and continued talking even though he knew Haru wasn't hearing any of it.

* * *

As lunch rolled by the boys: Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa and Rei were all seated on the rooftop of the school, enjoying the gentle breeze on an otherwise hot summer's day.

Haru badly wanted to dash over to the school's swimming pool, but they were waiting for their manager, Gou (or Kou as she likes to be called) to show up.

Clearly impatient, Haru blew out a silent breath and continued staring at the glassy surface of which he wanted to be submerged in.

Makoto eyed the uneaten food in Haru's bento before following his friend's gaze. Realising it lead to the pool, Makoto couldn't help but laugh, interrupting Rei and Nagisa's squabble for the time being.

"What's so funny, Makoto?" Rei questioned, clearly not understanding why the tallest of the four was chuckling.

"Sorry, sorry! I was just watching Haru stare at the pool. He seems quite eager to start swimming!" Makoto explained, wiping at his eyes.

"Well that's normal for Haru-chan! Water is the only thing he ever thinks about!" Nagisa pipes up, leaning around Makoto to get a better look at Haru's face.

Haru huffed moodily and turned his head away from their prying eyes, but still kept his gaze on the pool from the corner of his eye.

"Hey guys! Sorry I'm late!" Gou gasped as she bursts through the door to the roof and stumbled over to the waiting swimmers.

"Took you long enough! Gou is so slow!" Nagisa teased.

"It's Kou!" Gou corrects him after catching her breath. "Alright, shall we head down to the pool?"

"Pool?" Haru whispered, his ears catching that one word. Without a second to waste Haru sprung to his feet and all but barreled through the door, jumping the staircases three steps at a time to get down faster.

Nagisa broke the silence with a laugh before jumping to his own feet. "Come on, we can't let Haru beat us!" He yelled, beckoning for the others to follow before racing after his team-mate.

"N-Nagisa!" Rei called, but the shorter boy was already too far to hear.

"Haru, Nagisa, wait up!" Makoto stumbled up from his sitting position and chased after the two, followed by a flustered Rei.

"You guys, wait! You can't run in the school!" Gou warned, but they didn't pay any her any heed. She glanced at their lingering lunches on the rooftop and sighed in defeat before hurriedly following after them.

Haru pushed the school doors open with a bang before beelining it to the waiting pool. He gazed at the shiny surface reflecting the sun, the slight waves creating enticing ripples that only beckoned him more. Pushing the gate aside, Haru quickly wriggled out of his uniform, not missing a single step as he tossed his socks away just before leaping towards the pool, his hands creating the perfect opening as he dived under the surface, slipping into the waters comforting embrace once more.

He flipped over so his back faced the bottom of the pool and opened his eyes, seeing the outside world above him. A feeling of complete serenity engulfed the boy as his eyes slipped shut again and he gracefully spiraled below the surface.

"Unbelievable," Gou sighed, standing by the edge of the pool as she watched Haru swim effortlessly through the water. "He's already in!"

"Well, you know Haru..." Makoto laughed it off. Gou puffed her cheeks out in disapproval but made no further actions against the raven-haired boy.

"Wait for us, Haru-chan!" Nagisa cried as he came running in only wearing his swimsuit, dragging Rei behind him.

"N-Nagisa, wait a sec-!" Rei didn't have time to finish as the short blonde pulled him into the water forcefully.

Rei cried out as he fell rather spectacularly into the water with a loud splat. Nagisa surfaced after diving in and laughed at the perplexed look on his friend's face.

Makoto sighed and shook his head while Gou rolled her eyes and tapped her pen against the clipboard impatiently.

"Ah, that's right, I'm supposed to be picking her up!" Makoto suddenly shouted, the colour draining from his cheeks as he realized what the time was.

"I-I'll be right back, Kou!"

"Wait, where are you-...?" Gou watched, mouth agape, as Makoto scurried back the way he'd came, but instead of going into the school he ran across the road and down the footpath.

"What was that all about?" Rei asked while re-adjusting his glasses.

"Whooooa, does Mako-chan have a _girlfriend_?!" Nagisa joined in, swimming to the edge of the pool so he could rest his crossed arms on the concrete.

"Impossible. Surely he would've told us before now, right?" Gou muttered, reclining into one of the beach chairs lined along the fence.

"Makoto tends to only tell Haru about those sorts of things." Rei pointed out.

"Good point, let's ask him!" Nagisa pushed away from the wall and waved his arms wildly above his head to get the swimming teens attention.

Haru caught Nagisa's flailing in his peripheral vision and went to join the others, his head finally surfacing for the first time since he jumped in.

"Hey Haru-chan, does Mako-chan have a girlfriend?"

Haru gave Nagisa a look that clearly said he hadn't heard anything about it before answering with a simple, "No."

Nagisa hummed under his breath while Rei shared a confused look with Gou.

"I wonder who it is then?" Gou finally asked the question they'd all been thinking about. Well, all except Haruka.

He didn't care in the least about what was going on, the only thing on his mind was the need to swim. Haru took a deep breath before diving once more, the feeling of cold liquid gliding over his skin one that he'd missed for a long time.

"Sorry everyone!" The other three members turned their heads to see Makoto making his way back to the pool, a brown cardboard tray holding five soft-serve ice-creams.

"That was quick!" Gou commented, rushing over to take the ice-creams from Makoto.

"Apparently she'd already started walking this way." Makoto rubbed the back of his head as he explained the situation to the others, a sheepish smile plastered to his face.

"Who wants ice-cream!" Gou called, grabbing Nagisa and Rei's attention. Both climbed out and quickly scooped up a cone each, leaving three behind.

"So where is she?" Nagisa questioned, licking the melted sides of his dessert.

"Uh, she's er-...over there." Makoto pointed a finger in the direction of a person standing several yards away from the pool.

"Why is she all the way over there?" Rei squinted to try and get a better look at the stranger, but she was too far and his glasses were still wet so he couldn't see a thing.

"She um, she's not-" Just as Makoto was about to answer Haru jumped out of the pool, shaking the water from his hair before reaching for one of the icy treats.

"You should bring her over here!" Gou spoke up, earning a weary glance from Makoto.

"I don't th-"

"Oh, come on! If you don't, I will!" Nagisa agreed, cracking his knuckles to show that he really would drag the new person over if he didn't.

Makoto exhaled heavily before turning back around and going over to the stranger everyone wanted to meet.

After much coaxing and a lot of reassurances the brunette boy was finally able to convince the mystery girl to move a little closer. With shallow breaths and a death grip like no other on Makoto's arm the girl reluctantly followed.

"Here she comes!" The blonde announced, looking as excited as a five year would be if they were receiving an early birthday present.

Makoto winced at the loss of circulation in his arm but didn't dare to try and ask her to loosen up a little. It would only end with her clinging onto his head as she tried to climb on his back.

"Wow, she's so pretty!" Nagisa was the first to speak as all pairs of eyes were drawn to the stranger. "I wish she was my girlfriend!"

"_G-girlfriemd_?!"Makoto choked on the words and almost inhaled his ice-cream in the process. "We're _related_!" He sputtered, slamming a fist into his chest as he tried to stop the coughing fits.

"So does that mean I can have her?" Nagisa asked eagerly.

"Nagisa! Watch what you say!" Rei scolded, his cheeks tinted in a pink hue at the shorter boys brashness.

"I was only asking." Nagisa defended.

Makoto sighs in exasperation as he shoots an apologetic look at the girl clinging to his arm. He gestured to the others with his head and the girl gave a hesitant nod.

"Guys," Makoto called to get his team-mates attention. "This is Hanko-"

"Hanako." The girl corrected quietly.

Makoto smiled and continued. "-_Hanako_ Tachibana. Her real name is Hanko but she prefers if you call her by Hanako."

"Hanko?" Gou repeated, then suddenly her face lit up. "That's a boy's name!"

Hanako blushed deeply and averted her eyes to the sandals covering her feet.

"Don't worry, I have a boy's name too." Gou said, coming up to the girl and laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Hanako smiled weakly before glancing at the other swimmers.

"So she's your sister? I thought you only had one..." Rei interrupted.

"No, we're cousins. Both our fathers share the same last name." Makoto explained.

"Well, Hana-chan should come swimming with us!" Nagisa piped up, finishing the last of his ice-cream off before grabbing the girls free hand and pulling her towards the pool.

Hanako's eyes widened and her muscles stiffened, making it hard for the blonde to move her.

"N-Nagisa, that's not a good-"

"Come on, Hana-chan!" Nagisa ignored Makoto's feeble attempt at warning him and continued tugging on the girls hand.

Hanako's fearful eyes darted towards the water lapping gently as the edges. Her heart picked up in speed rapidly and her pulse thumped in her ears.

The brunette girl screamed in protest and yanked her hand out of the boys, clinging onto the back of Makoto's shirt as she desperately tried to hide behind him.

Nagisa froze in place, his hand lingering in the air. "What...?"

"Ah, sorry about that, but she kind of hates water." Makoto let out a nervous laugh.

Haru felt his grip on the ice-cream loosen, the delicious treat slipping from his fingers and plummeting to the ground. The sound of the dessert hitting the concrete drew everyone's attention to the raven-haired boy.

"Hates...water?" He mumbled, his eyes showing genuine surprise and mouth slightly agape.

In all his life, Haru never thought he'd ever meet someone who hated water. He never thought anyone _could_ hate water. It was unfathomable to him.

Haru stared in shock at the frightened girl cowering behind his best friend and took an unconscious step back. He suddenly felt very dry. _Too_ dry.

And looking at the girl only made him feel worse. As if she were a desert trying to suck all the moisture from him, Haru quickly back tracked to the pool and dove in, a feeling of bliss overcoming him as his body met with the refreshing liquid once more.

The other teens let out suppressed laughs as they watched Haru swim as fast as he could away from the girl who he probably thought shouldn't even exist.


	3. Two - Settling In

The town was lit in a beautiful array of colours as the sun began to fall below the horizon, the giant stars reflection glimmering on the surface of the ocean.

Makoto stretched his arms high above his head before releasing the breath he'd been holding. Him and his friends had decided to drop by the ice-cream parlour after practice.

He turned and leaned against the railing to watch the group conversing with each other. Makoto had been a bit worried that his cousin, Hanako, would be too intimidated by his friends after what happened at the pool, but it seemed his worries were misplaced as she quietly laughed along with the rest at one of Nagisa's many antics.

However, Makoto's worries should've been placed on his best friend. For the rest of the day Haru had done nothing but avoid Hanako like the plague. Every time they accidentally came within more than a meter of each other Haruka was quick to replace the gap between them.

The entire walk through town had been one awkward struggle for Makoto as he tried to chat with Haru, who'd been distancing himself a good few meters behind the rest of the group, while also pay attention to his cousin so she wouldn't feel left out of the group.

Though Gou had offered to take care of Hanako in his place, Makoto just wouldn't feel right leaving his cousin in the hands of someone she didn't quite know; not that he didn't trust Gou, but he was more worried about Hanako being uncomfortable.

Ever since that incident when she was little Hanako had separated herself from everyone except him, so he was cautious to leave her in anyone else's company

Makoto turned his attention away from the noisy table his friends occupied to the quiet raven-haired boy standing beside him.

Haru stood with his back to everyone as he gazed out at the orange tinted water, his arms crossed and his elbows resting on the white railing in front of him.

The brunette boy smiled and pulled himself up so he was sitting on the bar. "Haru." He called to get the other boys attention.

Haru blinked away his thoughts and shifted his deep blue eyes towards the taller teen.

Makoto was about to ask why he had such a problem with his cousin, but quickly thought better of it and instead decided to ask, "Shall we start heading home?"

Instead of responding Haru turned his attention to the calm, serene view of the ocean once more before blowing out a small puff of air and pushing away from the railing.

Makoto took that as a 'yes' and went back to the table, drawing attention away from Nagisa's loud outbursts.

"What is it, Makoto-senpai?" Rei asked, being the first one to notice the brunette sidle up next to their table. The others turned once they heard Rei speak his name.

"I think it's time to call it a day." He replied, smiling sheepishly as Nagisa whined and stuck his bottom lip out.

"But Mako-chan! It's still so early!" The blonde argued, pointing towards the sun which was almost completely gone now.

"It's almost time for dinner and we don't want our parents getting mad now, do we?" Rei spoke up, siding with Makoto.

"You too, Rei? That's not fair!" Nagisa proceeded to weakly hit his fists against the blue-haired boy's chest as he stood from his seat.

"Hey, Nagisa, stop it!"

"I guess you're right. My brother will be furious if I stay out any longer." Gou said with a sigh before standing up and pushing her chair in.

"Let's go, Hanako." Makoto stretched his hand out to the brunette girl still seated at the table. She gave him a small smile before accepting his offer to help her up.

Haru watched from the corner of his eye as Makoto pulled the water-hater to her feet before pushing her chair in so it was out of the way.

When Makoto met his stare with smiling green eyes of his own Haru huffed and turned his head in the other direction. Makoto couldn't help to snigger at his best friend's sudden change in behaviour.

"Well, I'll be going now. Good bye!" Gou called, waving to everyone as she trotted down the street.

"Bye~! Say hi to Rin-chan for us!" Nagisa shouted, waving both his arms above his head in farewell.

"I guess we'll be taking our leave as well." Makoto announced. The taller boy exchanged goodbyes with the two youngest members of the swim team before turning to see Haru already walking away.

"Haru, wait up!" Makoto called, dragging a surprised Hanako along behind him.

Haruka turned his head enough to glance at his friend over his shoulder. Upon seeing the girl trailing behind Makoto he quickly turned back and sped up, but his quick strides couldn't compare to his best friend's long legs and the green-eyed boy eventually caught up to him.

Haru blew out a silent sigh of frustration as Makoto starting droning on about how exciting tomorrow was going to be. Usually he wouldn't mind his friend's animated ramblings, in fact, he found them rather comforting. But today he just wasn't in the mood.

And for the first time in his life he wished the path to his house wasn't the same one that Makoto had to take.

Seeming to notice that Haru wasn't liking the idea of communicating Makoto directed his conversation to the girl on his other side, his happy-go-lucky tone never faltering once.

Hanako replied in small sentences, something Haru couldn't help but notice as he compared her and Makoto. In fact, if you looked past the physical traits, the two were nothing alike. Feeling irritated at himself for even bothering to waste his time _thinking_ about the water-hater, he tilted his head to narrow his harsh stare at the footpath.

Every time he caught the slightest movement from Hanako in his peripheral vision he edged that much father away from the two, something that hadn't slipped by Makoto.

As the trio reached the top of the steps to Haruka's house Makoto smiled brightly and warned his friend about not staying in the bath too long or he'd catch another cold.

Haru ignored the brunette as he pulled a key from the pocket of his pants and unlocked the door.

"I'll be here bright and early to pick you up, Haru-chan!" Makoto promised.

"You don't have to," Haru muttered. "And lay off the -chan already."

Makoto huffed out a laugh as the raven-haired boy opened the door and stepped inside. "See you tomorrow, Haru."

"Goodbye, Nanase." Hanako mumbled quietly, bowing slightly to the older boy.

Haru didn't bother to respond as he shut the door behind him, albeit roughly.

. . .

I straightened up and stared at the door with wide eyes, wondering what I'd done wrong.

"Was it something I said?" I asked as I turned to face my cousin. Makoto smiled sweetly and made his way back down the steps.

"Don't worry, it's nothing you did," Makoto assured me before looking off into the distance. A look of guilt quickly replaced his earlier smile as he sighed and turned onto another street. "Haru isn't usually this bad. I think it's because of what I said at the pool."

"What you said?" I questioned, giving the taller boy a quizzical look as I followed after him.

"When I explained to the group that you hated water, I think Haru took it as a personal insult." Makoto explained, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"An insult... but why?"

My cousin exhaled heavily before dropping his shoulders. "Haru, he... well, it's a little hard to explain, but I guess you could say he has a kind of... connection to water. A deep one."

I stayed silent as I thought that over in my head. A connection to water? Like, a _bond_ with it?

"I'm not sure I understand..." I admitted after the minutes of silence became too much to bare. "Water is just water."

"Not to Haru." Makoto sighed as the Tachibana's house came into view.

"But water can't feel, it can't breathe. It can't _live_. The only thing it does is...take away life." I whispered the last part so quietly that I wasn't even sure if Makoto had heard it or not, but judging by the way his features darkened, he knew what I was thinking.

In an attempt to brighten up my spirits he quickly jumped in front of me to open the gate to his yard before stretching one arm out and gesturing to the building before us.

"Welcome to my home!"

I plastered on a fake smile for his sake and followed him through the gate. I fiddled nervously with the corner of my tank top as we walked down the path cutting through the grass and leading to the front door.

"I'm sorry for intruding on you so suddenly like this. It's just... now that I'm evicted from my home and my dad is-... well, I don't really have anywhere else to stay."

"It's alright," Makoto smiled sadly at me as we paused in front of the door. He turned to face me completely before laying one of his big hands on top of my head. "Family have to help each other out in times of need, right?"

I beamed up at my cousin and wiped the brimming tears before they could fall. "Yeah." I agreed softly.

Just then the door opened with a slam and two children came running, both throwing themselves at Makoto.

"Big brother!" They cried happily, hugging his arms and legs. Makoto stumbled to regain his balance and laughed at his siblings enthusiasm.

"Come on now you two, I can't walk like this!" Makoto scolded playfully. I watched with ambivalence as the close-knit siblings argued light-heartedly amongst each other.

Unable to bear it any longer I turned my back on the happy greeting and peered inside the house. Just as I was about to step in someone came running down the hallway.

"Ah, I thought I heard my son's voice!" Makoto's mother spoke, wiping her soapy hands on a greasy apron tied around her waist. It didn't take long for her to notice me however, and as soon as she did she gasped in delight and swept me up in her tight embrace.

"It's so good to see you again, Hanako!" She sang as she spun me around. I fumbled to get a grip on her arms as I felt myself slipping ever so slowly from her grip.

"P-please, put me down!" I cried, but my voice was muffled from my face being pressed into her shoulder.

After feeling that she'd finally hugged me long enough, my aunt dropped me to my feet and held me at arms distance, her aging hands resting on my shoulders.

"My, how you've grown! She's such a beautiful lady now, isn't she Mako dear?"

"M-mom! You're asking _me?!_ I can't say something like that about my cousin!" Makoto whined. I turned to give him a threatening stare, to which he quickly backed away from with his hands in front of him.

"N-n-not to say that you aren't, Hanako!" He stammered out, his eyebrows twitching at my piercing gaze.

I stifled a laugh and eased up on Makoto. I felt a little bad about it, but it was fun to know that I could still intimidate him like that, even if he is taller than me now.

"Now, who's ready for dinner?" Makoto's father called. The children barrelled past us to be the first at the table.

"Ah, Hanako! Long time no see!" Their father called, only just noticing me standing in the doorway. "Come, come. We can catch up over dinner!"

Without needing any further encouragement I stepped through the threshold, waiting for Makoto to do the same before we made our way into the dining room.

. . .

The night flew by and before I knew it a new day had already started. As I stood outside waiting for my cousin to put his shoes on I couldn't help examining the garden. The grass was a healthy shade of green, and just about everything else connected to the Tachibana's lawn was as well. The flowers were blooming brilliantly and there subtle aromas helped to calm my first school-day nerves.

As my eyes wandered across the gentle grass moving with the wind, I spotted something that hadn't been there the last time I'd visited. Crouching down to inspect it, I realised it was a grave for the families pet fish.

"Ah, so you found it." I jumped at the sound of Makoto's voice right behind me. I stood back up and turned around, surprised to see just how close my cousin actually was.

Trying to avoid bumping into him I shuffled back to put some distance between us, but the sole of my shoe rolled over a stray pebble and I ended up losing my balance.

I cried out as I saw the world turn and felt my feet fly out from underneath me. But luckily I had a relative with good reflexes, so just as my backside was about to meet with the ground a strong hand grabbed my arm and pulled me back up.

"Thanks." I breathed in relief.

"It was my fault, sorry about that!" Makoto apologised, smiling sheepishly like he always did in these sorts of situations.

I guess some people just don't change. I mused silently before running over to the gate and opening it. "Better hurry up or we'll be late!"

"Hold on a second, we have to go pick up someone first."

"Someone?" I repeated, turning to glance at Makoto. He smiled and closed the gate behind him before taking off the in the opposite direction of the school.

"Haru, of course." He replied casually. I felt my stomach drop and instantly slowed to a crawl, allowing Makoto to stroll on ahead without noticing.

The thought of having to endure an entire day of that silent boy's obvious dislike for me quickly brought down the earlier hype I'd been in this morning. All of a sudden, I didn't feel so well.

. . .

"Haru-chan!" Makoto called, glancing up at the second floor when he received no response. "Ugh, again?" He sighed, reaching out and pushing the door open before stepping inside.

"M-Makoto...! You can't just let yourself in like that!" Hanako whispered harshly, though neither her or the green-eyed boy knew why she was trying to be quiet.

"What if he's still asleep?" She insisted, latching onto her cousins arm in an attempt to slow him down.

"Doubtful." Makoto rejected the idea almost immediately, leaving Hanako to wonder just how many times he's broken in if he knows what his friend is and isn't doing.

Once the girl realised that her relative was heading in the direction of the wash room her brows furrowed with confusion.

"Why are we going in here?" She asked, unable to help herself.

"To get Haru out of the bath, of course." Makoto replied nonchalantly, as if that were the most normal thing to say in a situation like this.

"T-the _bath_?!" Hanako screeched in a tone a few octaves higher than normal. At the thought of seeing a butt-naked boy who hated her guts she quickly released her cousins burly arm and covered her reddening face in embarrassment.

"I-... I'll wait outside!" She squeaked, leaving no time for Makoto to explain the situation properly as she practically sprinted towards the nearest exit, her sudden speed putting all Olympic runners to shame.

Makoto was about to tell her that Haru would be in his swimsuit anyway, but the girl was gone before he could even utter the first word. With a sigh he entered the bathroom and proceeded to coax his friend out of the tub like he did almost every morning.

* * *

**When I first posted this chapter I didn't notice that all of the talking had been taken out, I can't explain why it was. So I decided to delete it and re-post, fixing the issue. Thank you to a reviewer for pointing out the problem to me, otherwise I probably never would've known.**

**Please re-read this chapter now that it's been fixed. It might actually make some sense now. If this happens again to any future chapters please inform me so I may fix it.**


	4. Three - Reluctant Holiday

"Alright! We have a joint practice with Samezuka today and another one later on in the week!" Gou announced, reading off her clipboard.

"Wah~! It's been forever since we last swam with Samezuka's team!" Nagisa exclaimed, getting all excited over the news.

"It's only been a couple months, Nagisa." Rei corrected, giving the shorter boy an exasperated look.

"A couple months is too long! _Too long!_" The blonde complained, throwing himself at Rei and clinging to the boys shirt.

"Hey, hey! Let go, you're stretching it!"

"Oi, you two..." Makoto sighed at the sight of Rei and Nagisa's squabble before turning to Haruka, hoping for help.

But as always, his best friend was completely fixated on his mackerel bento and ignoring the commotion beside him.

"Hey! Pay attention!" Gou yelled, grabbing the attention of the culprits who started the whole disturbance.

"Now," She continued after taking a breath. "I've organised with my brother a place for us to stay during the week, so we don't have to travel back and forth."

"We get to see Rin-chan again!" Nagisa burst, unable to hold it back. Rei sighed at the other boy's lack of self-control and Makoto glanced in Haru's direction.

The quiet boy's hand paused, holding his chopsticks just millimetres away from his lips, his eyes widening ever so slightly. Now _that_ caught his attention, Makoto noted with amusement.

He knew that Haruka badly wanted to see Rin. They'd finally become friends again after so long, but because of their tight training schedules Rin and Haru hadn't had the chance to hang out like they used to when they were kids.

"Ah, but Makoto, what about your cousin?" Rei spoke up, snatching back the brunette's attention.

"Eh?" Makoto replied unintelligently, swinging his head around to face the others.

"That's right, didn't your parents say that it was your responsibility to take care of her?" Nagisa chimed in, leaning forward as he placed his hands on the ground.

"Now, now, I'm sure she can take care of herself. She's not a baby or anything." Gou interrupted, feeling that she had to defend her new friend, Hanako, against the belittling comments from the swimmers.

"No, they're right." Makoto intercepted, pinching his chin between his thumb and index finger as he thought. It wasn't that Makoto thought his cousin needed to be babied, but he knew that without him there at home Hanako wouldn't cope. Especially with his younger siblings.

After that terrible accident, Hanako's never quite been the same when it comes to children...

"Maybe I should stay behind on this one." Makoto said with a sigh, rubbing sheepishly at the nape of his neck.

"Wah?!" Nagisa cried, scrambling to his knees and shuffling towards Makoto with the saddest pouty face he could muster. "But you have to come! It wouldn't be the same without you there!"

"The point of us going is to train, it wouldn't be right to only take three of you there and leave the other behind." Gou agreed.

"Perhaps we could talk sensei into letting her join us?" Rei suggested, pushing his red glasses up.

"Ah, I don-"

"Just leave her behind. Don't let someone like that near water." Haru spoke up. It was the first time he'd joined in the the conversation, but it didn't prove to be of any help in solving it. In fact, Makoto vaguely remembered Haru saying something similar about Rei after Nagisa suggested that maybe he didn't like water.

"Oi, Haru-chan..." Makoto slumped his shoulders and sent a somewhat tired and exasperated look towards his best friend, who only continued to ignore him.

"But will sensei let us take someone who isn't in the swimming club with us?" Gou questioned, looking doubtful.

"Maybe if we appeal to sensei's good side she'll agree!" Nagisa said.

"And just how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Rei asked, albeit uncertainly.

"Well, first we-"

"Actually, no. I don't think I want to hear it." The butterfly swimmer abruptly cut the blonde off, placing a hand to his forward as he tried to forget the wild images running through his head at what Nagisa could've possibly wanted to do.

"I guess we have no choice but to ask." Gou spoke, exhaling heavily.

"I don't think she'll want to come-..." Makoto began but Nagisa was quick to overtake him.

"I'm sure if we explain the situation to her she won't have a problem with it!"

"I really doubt-"

"She doesn't have to come with us to practice. Hanako can stay at the hotel or go sight-seeing while we're busy." Gou interrupted quickly, cutting off the slightly frustrated brunette.

"I'm sure your cousin is curious to explore the town a little more, only having just moved in." Rei joined in, leaving no room for Makoto to object.

"Exactly! It'll be like a short vacation away from school, with no water near her for miles!" Nagisa spoke up.

Haru felt one of his chopsticks fall from his fingers at the suggestion of water being miles away. His skin was starting to dry out from just the _thought_ of it.

"Don't over-exaggerate, Nagisa." Rei sighed, making the blonde drop his arms.

Everyone went quiet and glanced at Makoto from their positions on the roof of the school, waiting on his response. He briefly glanced over each hopeful face and looked away just as quickly, feeling defeated.

He shifted his eyes in Haru's direction, noting that the boy had once again paused in eating to listen in, but still kept his eyes elsewhere.

Makoto exhaled heavily and dropped his head, seeing no way out of this.

"Alright, I'll ask her." He mumbled through his lips. The other teenagers jumped up in victory and high-fived each other happily.

"Alright, we'll go beg to sensei! Come on, Rei-chan!" Nagisa bellowed, latching onto the surprised butterfly swimmer's arm and pulling him along.

"And we'll go and convince Hanako, right, Makoto?" Gou stood in front of the brunette and offered her hand to him, to which he took reluctantly.

"I guess so." He replied, allowing the girl to pull him to his feet.

"Alright! You come too, Haru!" Gou grabbed the raven-haired boys shirt and pulled him up too before dragging the two boys down the flight of stairs.

"W-wai-" Haru started, but was quickly cut off as he stumbled to find his footing on the staircase. He glanced longingly at the uneaten mackerel bento before huffing in irritation and limply following behind the other two.

* * *

I hunched my shoulders against the growing wind as I waited beside Makoto at the front of his house. One hand clutched at the small travel case filled with clothing and toiletries, the other clung to the corner of my cousin's sleeve.

Makoto glanced down at me and gave a reassuring smile, saying everything would be fine; which didn't help to calm my nerves. But for his sake I sent a wary smile back and averted my gaze to my sandals.

I really wasn't looking forward to the trip. Yes, Makoto's friends are nice- well, most of them, and they did say that I don't have to be anywhere near the other school while they train. But for once, it's not the water that's worrying me so.

My eyes caught the sudden loose pebbles on the side of the street begin to jump daintily across the asphalt, and a few seconds later the sound of a vehicle pushing over the hill became present in the otherwise silent atmosphere.

My stomach dropped to my feet as Makoto's face lit up at the sight of a van cruising down the road. The car crawled up to the curb, before eventually stopping in front of us.

"Time to go, Hanako." Makoto called to get my attention. I shared a glance with my cousin before swallowing past the lump in my throat and watching with bated breath as the large door of the van rolled open with a squeak.

Three heads- red, blonde and blue, popped out to say hello, and I immediately knew the owners of said hair colours. There was one missing though. I felt the slightest amount of hope swell within my chest as my eyes searched the space of the vehicle for the single head of hair that wasn't hanging out in greeting.

I squinted to see past the grimy layer coating the back windows. My heart sped up and my chest constricted as I saw a faint shadow in the very back seat, irritated blue eyes connecting with mine.

I cracked under the intensity of his burning gaze and quickly backed down from the stare, feeling the earlier dread leaking back in. A mix of disappointment and discomfort washed over me as I realised it was going to be a long, awkward trip to Samezuka.

* * *

Just as I predicted, the road trip to Samezuka had indeed been awkward, to say the least. Not only did I have to travel in the same car as the person who hates my guts, but I also had to sit _beside _him.

Apart from Nagisa (who called shotgun) I was the only other person small enough to fit in the middle seat, so there I was, squashed between Rei and Haruka in the back. Their elbows digging into my ribcage every time the teacher drove over a bump or sped around the corners.

Now, I wasn't the only one unhappy with this arrangement; because going by the look on Haru's face he disliked this situation as much as I did.

And then there was Rei. Every time his arm made contact with me, which happened quite often, his face would darken to a slightly more noticeable shade of red and he'd fumble to adjust his glasses, even if they were sitting perfectly in place across his nose.

If it weren't for Nagisa encouraging Makoto, Gou and the teacher to sing '100 bottles on the wall' with him, I think I would've died from embarrassment. The constant glaring blue eyes reflected in the window didn't help to lower my anxiety, either.

I sighed heavily as I all but stumbled out of the roller door of the van, finally glad to be in open space once again. Gou chuckled and came to stand beside me, joining in as I stretched out all the built up cramps.

"Have fun back there?" She teased light-heartedly. I returned her smile and rolled my shoulders out, hearing a satisfying pop.

"Could've been worse." I waved a hand dismissively in the air, brushing it off as no big deal. But in all actuality that had to be the worse road trip I've ever been on in my life.

"Alright, you lot. Grab your things and take them to your rooms while I go get us some groceries for dinner tonight." The teacher spoke, popping the boot and swinging it open to reveal our luggage.

Makoto took the liberty of passing everyone their bags before reaching for his own. I thanked my cousin and gripped the handle tightly as not to drop it.

The teacher climbed back into the van and waved a quick farewell before driving off down the street, claiming she'd be back in an hour or two.

Following the Iwatobi Swim Team, I struggled to hold on to my bag as we trudged up the stairs single-file. "Shall I take that for you?"

I looked up to find Rei had paused two steps above me, twisting around to hold his hand out for my luggage.

"O-oh no, it's alright. I think I'll manage." I assured him quietly, giving him a small smile when he looked doubtful. His cheeks were suddenly dusted with a rosy hue and he sharply turned back around, continuing up the steps with a firm nod.

Makoto stopped beside me and stifled his laughter at his friends behaviour.

"Was it something I said?" I questioned, feeling confused.

"No, no, it was nothing you said." Makoto reassured me. Just then Nagisa bounced up behind us and swung his arms over our shoulders, his arms rather lop-sided from our obvious height difference.

"Rei-chan gets flustered easily, especially around girls!" Nagisa yelled the last bit to make sure the blue-haired swimmer heard him clearly.

I winced and covered my ringing ear, Nagisa's mouth having been right near my head at the time.

"Oi! Nagisa!" Rei scolded, his face so red that even his ears were tinted in the hue.

Nagisa laughed and slid between us to catch up to Rei, bonking him swiftly on the head before running even further up the stairs. I heard protests from Gou as Nagisa pushed past her, being chased by a furious Rei.

I giggled at the exchange between the two and placed a hand to my mouth to cover the growing smile on my face. Makoto sighed before laughing quietly to himself.

Sharing an amused look with my cousin, we continued to the third floor, the glaring sapphire eyes burning holes in my back temporarily forgotten.


End file.
